32 REPORT (W NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1905. 



A gallery has been built and parti}' fitted up in the west-north 

 range for the storage of historical niaterial, and the extensive collec- 

 tion of portraits is now in process of arrangement and classification. 

 The study series in graphic arts has been transferred to unit drawers 

 and is also being rearranged and catalogued. 



In the di^'^sion of mammals 15 quarter unit cases were added for 

 the storage of small skins^ but a larger number will soon be re({uired 

 to. properly arrange this class of objects, and also the larger skins, 

 many of which are now kept in ordinary boxes. The collection of 

 mammal skulls comprises many thousands of specimens, for which 

 the accommodations have been very crude and inadequate. The 

 rearrangement of the large skulls, mentioned in last year's report, 

 and of a majority of the small ones, has been completed. New 

 cases have been provided for skulls of medium size, and before the 

 close of another year all of the material of this character now on 

 hand should be in excellent order for reference. 



The work of cleaning skulls, which requires much dexterity and 

 patience, has been done mainly by contract instead of the employ- 

 ment of a preparator for the purpose. The new method has proved 

 much more economical and will be continued. The number cleaned 

 was 9,595 as compared with 6,760 during the previous year. The 

 entire collection of skulls was numbered and labeled. 



Sixty-eight large and medium mammal skins for the reserve series 

 were tanned by contract. The taxidermist attached to the division 

 made over about 60 small skins, which had been deteriorating, 

 besides skinning 57 fresh mammals, making up a large number of 

 flat skins, and cleaning and repairing 78 mounted heads belonging to 

 the exhibition series. After extended experimentation a large tank 

 was successfully constructed for extracting grease from skeletons b}' 

 the use of naphtha and steam. It has been installed in the Zoological 

 Park, in a place not resorted to by visitors. 



All the bird skins received during the year were catalogued, labeled, 

 and distributed to their proper places in the study series, and the 

 rearrangement of the birds of prey was nearly completed. The 

 quarters occupied by this division for laboratory and storage are 

 now especially overcrowded. The very extensive series of birds' eggs 

 has been kept in excellent condition. 



The collection of reptiles and batrachians has for some time been 

 undergoing a systematic rearrangement in order to make the speci- 

 mens more accessible, and the entire study series is in a good state 

 of preservation. 



In the division of fishes the majority of the large accessions was 

 catalogued and much material labeled and installed. Four large 

 zinc-lined tanks, of a special pattern, were constructed for the larger 

 fishes, and to these were transferred the contents of seven barrels. 



